Runaway Auckland win for Alba’s Reign

Press, 24 June 1985, Page 34

Runaway Auckland win for Alba’s Reign

Special correspondent Auckland The question of the season’s two-year-old supremacy was well and truly resolved with the runaway victory of Alba’s Reign in Saturday night’s 100,000 series final at Alexandra Park. Now his connections have their sights set on a sub two minute race mile., Mr Charlie Elliott, one of the colt’s three owners—the others are his wife, Dawn, and the trainer, Graeme Harris—said after the Benson and Hedges-sponsored even he would dearly like to see Alba’s Reign achieve this feat by a two-year-old. The opportunity could come at the Thames Club’s meeting at Alexandra Park on July 5, when each of the races, except one, is over a flying mile. “Mind you,” said Mr Elliott, “Dawn and I will leave the decision to Graeme, who has done a marvellous job of both training and driving.”

“If Graeme thinks he (Alba’s Reign) has done enough for the season, well that’s that. I really think, though, he could break two minutes in a race.”

Mr Elliott’s optimism is understandable. Alba’s Reign went 2:1.5 when he won at Cambridge on March 22 and, almost certainly, he is better now.

Before Saturday’s big race, Alba’s Reign had won six times from only 10 attempts and was indisputably the North’s top two-year-old.

Yet, he was only fourth favourite in the final and paid the remarkably good price of $12.85. Probably, his second-row barrier drawdeterred many betters. As it turned out, he got a pretty good run through, took the lead about the 1300 m and that was that. Alba’s Reign was out on his own rounding the home turn and, kept up to his work by Harris, scored by four lengths. Clarius flashed home wide out to pip the Temuka visitor, Sir Alba, for second and The Buccaneer (fourth) also came home well. Trident, the hot favourite, was next.

The race was run at a strong pace throughout, so much so it was hardly surprising the last 800 metres required 1:3.2, and 400 m, 32.1.

Alba’s Reign covered the 2200 m in 2:50.3, a mile rate of 2:4.6 and only 1.2 s outside the track record set by Lord Module in the same race in 1977. The race proved a great result for a newly formed stud at Pukekohe to be

operated next season by Richard Hooper. Both Alba Byrd, sire of Alba’s Reign, and Mercedes, sire of Clarius, will be standing there. Bred by Mr Elliott, Alba’s Reign is out of Vice Reign, a Garrison Hanover mare foaled in 1965.

Mr Elliott has had considerable success with Vice Reign whose other progency have included Kiwi Reign, Gipsy Reign, Blue Reign and Able Reign. Western Knight, the winner of the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the National Bloodstock Handicap, was also at surprisingly good odds—she was 76 in the betting and paid $13.60. She had looked a little unlucky when fourth in the corresponding race on the first night of the meeting.

Western Knight was soon in front and scored easily from Te Awa and the favourite, Rita Lass.